The present application is related generally to the attachment of horseshoes to an equine hoof, and in particular, to a clip which may be temporarily secured to a horseshoe during the shoeing procedure to facilitate proper placement and alignment of the horseshoe relative to the equine hoof, and which may be subsequently removed from the horseshoe after attachment of the horseshoe to the equine hoof.
Horseshoes have traditionally been utilized to provide traction and protection to the hooves of equines. A standard horse shoe, such as shown in FIG. 1A is formed from metal, typically a soft steel or aluminum, but may be of other materials as well. The front or leading edge of the horseshoe is known as the toe, while the trailing arms or portions are known as the heels. When attached to a hoof, the heel portion closest to horse's body centerline is referred to as the inside (medial) heel, while the opposite heel portion is referred to as the outside (lateral) heel.
Equine hoof structure and shape may vary from animal to animal, as well as from hoof to hoof on a single horse, and hence, it is common practice for a farrier to adjust the shape of each individual horseshoe to fit the particular hoof prior to nailing. Adjustment may be done by cold forming, i.e., hammering alone, or in combination with heating. Once a horseshoe is sized and fitted to a hoof, nails, such as shown in FIG. 2, are driven through the nail holes in the horseshoe and into the tough outer hoof wall of the equine hoof. Generally, the nails are of sufficient length such that the tip of the nail will protrude through the outer surface of the hoof wall above the horseshoe, allowing the tip to be cut off and bent over to form a clinch which retains the nail in the hoof wall. The sequence in which the nails are driven through the horseshoe and into the hoof wall during attachment is important to ensure the proper placement of the horseshoe relative to the equine hoof structures. The shape of the nail is configured to ensure that the nails will penetrate the hoof wall at an outward incline, ensuring that they are not directed inward towards the sensitive internal structures of the equine hoof.
On a plain horseshoe, such as shown in FIG. 1A, the initial nails are driven into the hoof wall through the nail holes which are closest to the heel on each side to prevent the horseshoe from sliding backwards relative to the hoof during the driving of the nails. However, when one nail is driven in on one side of the horseshoe, the nail may act as a pivot, and the horseshoe may shift or torque about that location, requiring the farrier to hammer on the side of the horseshoe to return it to the desired position before continuing. Hammering on the side of the horseshoe risks a bruising injury to the equine hoof in the event the hammer misses or slips from the horseshoe upon impact, and potentially weakens the hold of the nails which are already driven into place by twisting them within the hoof wall and widening the passage in which they rest.
Some horseshoes, such as shown in FIG. 1B, are formed with one or more permanent clips raised from the upper peripheral edges of the horseshoe. Upon proper fitment of the horseshoe to an equine hoof, the raised clips align along the outer surface of the hoof wall, and serve to prevent the shoe from sliding backwards relative to the hoof during application and use. However, permanent clips increase the cost of production for the horseshoes, and/or require additional time for the farrier to make the clips and properly align them with the hoof surfaces. Permanent clips pose a potential for injury to the hoof structures in the event the horseshoe slips or loosens during use, allowing the raised clip to rotate inward towards the center of the hoof and posing a risk of penetrating puncture injuries.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a method and means for attaching a horseshoe to an equine hoof which prevents slipping and rotating of the horseshoe during nailing, which does not increase the cost of producing the horseshoe, the time required for preparation of the horseshoe, or pose a potential for injury to the hoof structures after attachment of the horseshoe to an equine hoof.